The Samurai Era Comes To An End

During the Tokugawa Era (1603-1868), samurai began to be bureaucrats rather than warriors. Without any warfare or conflict for over a hundred years, the samurai were beginning to lose their original purpose of fighting. Ultimately, the samurai class was abolished in 1877 as Japan began to pursue a more Westernized army. These actions did not please the samurai. Angry samurai soon began to plot to overthrow government under the leadership of Saigo Takamori. These samurai soon began the Satsuma Rebellion. With the Japanese government using modern Western military tactics and weapons against the samurai's swords, the samurai's rebellion was brutally crushed. With all opposition gone, the Japanese government soon began to pursue its goal of modernization.